


April in Ireland

by PixieKisses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Death, Discord: Hearts & Cauldrons SSHG Server, Draco Malfoy breaks into the art world, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hermione Granger has a secret, Never underestimate a mother's love, New Beginnings, No Golden Trio, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Secrets, Severus Snape is a big softie, Soulmates, Starcrossed Lovers, Voldemort Dies (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-25 15:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30091467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieKisses/pseuds/PixieKisses
Summary: WARNING: contains mention of child abduction and the death of a child.Everyone has secrets: some big, some small. Secrets are things we keep to protect those we love, right? Hermione has always been told to do no harm. But when does that happen? If people are unaware of the secret, does that harm them, or is it once the secret becomes known? What if the only way to protect someone is to keep a secret? Can she truly protect him then, or will it simply blow up in her face?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	April in Ireland

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I would like to thank my alpha @multilinguism for being an amazing cheerleader and @deviously_me for the exceptional beta work they have done with this fic. I would also love to give a big shout out to @moonstone281 for coming up with this amazing title, and everyone else over at the Hearts and Cauldron's Discord Server.

For as long as Hermione could remember, her life had been filled with secrets. From the moment she first displayed magical prowess, her parents instructed her to keep it hidden. Not that they were ashamed of her. Quite the opposite, in fact. They seemed more afraid of her being taken away, and so Hermione had agreed. At first, it had been hard; then, Hermione discovered a book that would change her life forever. Here was a girl just like her with magic at her fingertips, having to keep it a secret to protect those she loved the most. Helen and Graham Granger, however, were, fortunately, nothing like Mr and Mrs Wormwood for that, Hermione was glad. 

Then, she had turned eleven and discovered a world where she could truly be herself; where no one would question her magic, only to come face to face with her own Miss Trunchbull. Like Matilda, Hermione turned to books as a means of escape from the cruel taunts and jibes of her classmates. Now, she was seventeen and was once again keeping secrets, from her friends, from her parents and ultimately from herself. 

Hermione sat at the desk where her parents kept old patient files and general admin, staring down at a yellow newspaper article stapled to a missing child poster. The eyes staring back at her made her blood run cold. She had no idea what this meant. Why was her picture on a missing person’s poster and her name in an old copy of the Irish Independent? She wasn’t missing. She was Helen and Graham Granger’s daughter, or was she the daughter of Wendell and Monika Wilkins? Hermione was _definitely_ not the missing daughter of Mr and Mrs Sean O’Malley. Her name was _not_ Elizabeth Kathleen, and she had not been abducted at two years old from a county fair fifteen years ago. Her mother had explained that her baby photos had perished in a fire before they had moved to London. 

Hermione’s eyes moved to look at the family photograph featuring the three of them. There was nothing to say there was any truth in the documents in front of her. They looked like a perfectly normal family. Her father was lounging on the beach, hat shielding his eyes from the sun, whilst her mother helped her build a sandcastle. Returning to the task at hand, Hermione carefully folded the documents and slipped them inside a plain brown envelope. 

A light knock on the door pulled her out of her musings. Crossing the cramped space, Hermione gave her visitor a tired smile as she snuggled into the mossy, earthy scent that belonged entirely to him. She relaxed as his arms moved to circle her waist and his chin rested softly on the top of her head. If anyone knew they were meeting, it would put everyone in danger. It was bad enough that they’d started this affair whilst she was still a student. But even more so now that he was having to babysit Death Eaters. 

“We don’t have long. McGonagall thinks I’m at a meeting. If the Dark Lord even suspected I was here, it would be both our heads,” Snape said as he tilted her chin so he could look her directly in her eyes.

“You’re not the only one with secrets, Severus. I understand the risks. I made my choice months ago,” Hermione replied, reaching up to cup his face with her hand.

Their lips met in a tender kiss, neither one prepared to part. Hermione wasn’t sure which one of them closed the door until her knees hit the edge of her father’s desk, and she was being lifted off her feet. The feel of his rough, calloused hands sent shivers down her spine as he expertly manoeuvred her out of her clothes before she even had time to draw a breath. Hermione reached her hand out towards his belt, only to be reprimanded with a single look. Biting her lip, Hermione felt her thighs become slick with arousal as she watched him unfasten his belt. Until recently, Severus had always seemed like an enigma to Hermione. Now every minute emotion was as clear to her as the crystal vials he used when brewing. 

A short while later, fully satisfied and with her damp hair clinging to her forehead, Hermione sat against Severus’ chest, wishing that they didn’t have to hide their relationship, yet understanding the consequences should anyone find out. That included Ron and Harry, who were currently safely ensconced in the loving embrace of Molly Weasley. 

“I should go,” Hermione said, wiggling out of his embrace to relocate her discarded clothing. 

“We’ll meet up in a month. I’ll be watching,” Severus said simply before vanishing with a soft pop.

~*~

Hermione wasn’t sure how she could have been so stupid. Life sure did like to kick her when she was down. Being forced to go on the run with Ron and Harry was always supposed to be a short term thing, not months upon months of endless cold and having to constantly separate her friends before they got them all killed due to sheer stupidity. The day when she could live her life without having to fix their mistakes couldn’t come soon enough. 

Hermione loved them in her own way, and Harry...Harry was like a brother to her, but like Severus, Hermione preferred her solitude. It was, she supposed, why they worked so seamlessly. Neither one got upset if the other needed space or just wanted quiet, and Severus never expected her to be more than she was. 

Now she was sitting hovering over a broken toilet seat. Wishing she had access to a time-turner, so she could go back and fix the biggest mistake she had ever made. Hermione was supposed to be the brightest witch of her age. Still, she just had to go and act like a stupid, lovesick teenage girl. Now, she was paying for it in the middle of the most significant war Wizarding Britain had ever seen. Things were always much easier when other people’s lives were on the line. It made things less messy, more clinical. Her own life however, was another matter entirely. Though there was no time like the present. 

Grabbing her purple beaded bag off the top of the broken toilet roll dispenser, Hermione sought out what she was looking for. The smooth crispness of the paper envelope had dread pooling in her stomach. This was her only option...Her only chance. Was it cheating? Possibly. Would it mean leaving behind the only people she ever loved? Definitely. Was she prepared to harbour yet another secret? Only time would tell. 

Unlocking the door, Hermione skirted around drunk who was using the public toilets as a makeshift rest stop and out into the depth of night. It surprised her to realise that not even ten minutes away from camp, the night sky’s entire dynamic changed. Hermione could make out each star from her usual post, keeping watch and mapping nearly all the constellations. But from here, only a handful at most was visible to the naked eye. Hermione wasn’t sure where she was going until she stood in front of a ticket booth, buying herself a one-way train ticket to Ireland. She prayed that Ron and Harry would be okay without her. That they would survive and would one day forgive her for abandoning them. As soon as she landed back in London, Hermione located the first House-Elf she could and managed to convince them to deliver a letter to Severus.

What Hermione hadn’t anticipated was for the Elf in question to pass on her location. She had hoped she could have been on her way to Ireland by now. Unfortunately, the train had been delayed, and so she was stuck waiting on the platform. That was when she felt a looming presence behind her. Hermione didn’t need to be versed in Divination to know that Severus had arrived. How he had done so without alerting the Muggle railway workers was both baffling and impressive. 

“Why did you come?” Hermione asked as she turned to face him.

“Why are you leaving?” Severus countered, taking a step towards her.

“I have something I need to do. I’ll write to you if I can,” Hermione replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her left ear. 

“What about Potter? I thought you were following him around the country, tidying up his mess,” Severus said with a sneer of disdain.

Hermione frowned at the mention of her friend. “He’ll be fine. Harry will be fine. He doesn’t need me,” Hermione said after a few minutes of silence.

Hermione fiddled with a loose thread on her jumper, winding it around her finger with the intent to pull it off. Suddenly, he was standing before her sliding his fingers into her hair and tilting her head back. Hermione had no other option but to look up into the dark obsidian eyes that haunted her dreams and left her wanting. The feel of his lips on hers left her feeling breathless, and it took all her energy not to insist he go with her. His obligations to his current and former master were far more important than the mere yearnings of her heart. 

Hermione pulled away from him when the train finally rolled into the platform. “I have to go. I’m sorry,” Hermione said, reaching up to place one last kiss on his lips.

Hermione sat as far away from the window as possible. The train pulled slowly out of the station before picking up speed as it headed towards the coast. Hermione wiped furiously at her cheeks as she felt her heart shatter with grief. Resting her head against the window, Hermione watched as the scenery changed with each passing hour until finally, they pulled into Holyhead Station. It didn’t take her long to locate the ferry that would take her away from everything she knew and everyone she loved. Yet, it would put Severus in even more danger if she were to stay.

~*~

Hermione’s search for the O’Malleys led her to a small coastal Garda Station. According to the desk sergeant, the O’Malley case had been closed since 1979. When she was finally allowed to speak to a Detective, Hermione was shocked to discover that her mother, Helen, had been an O’Malley at birth. According to birth records, her biological grandmother had been unmarried and had given her daughter up for adoption. 

Elizabeth Kathleen O’Malley was Hermione’s cousin, who had been abducted by a woman at a county fair. The woman had then panicked, and as a result, Elizabeth died. She was later found on the steps of a church wrapped in a knitted blanket. The woman had promptly been found and convicted.

Happy to discover that her parents weren’t secret child abductors, Hermione burned the papers the first chance she got. On finding the church Elizabeth had been left at, Hermione stepped inside and lit a candle in remembrance. Placing a hand over her abdomen, Hermione realised that she needed people to think she was married if she was to survive in Ireland. 

Reaching into her beaded bag, Hermione pulled out a velvet ring box. Opening it, Hermione took a deep breath before sliding the rings onto her left hand. Now, she could live in peace without anyone asking questions. The last thing she needed was for Ron and Harry to get wind of where she was and drag her back. At least Severus understood, even if he didn’t truly know her reasons behind her disappearance. 

~*~

Two years later…

Hermione had never intended on settling in Ireland, but she had quickly fallen in love with the country. She had found herself a job working at a local library, had her own flat and was enjoying her life. Hermione still kept up with news in Britain and was pleased that Harry had survived and that Voldemort had been defeated. There was no news on Severus, however. McGonagall was now Headmistress, and it had, from what she’d read, taken a long time to rebuild the school after the Battle. 

Hermione woke early just like she did most mornings and set about getting ready for the day. It was her day off, and Hermione intended to use her time heading to the local market and then to her favourite art gallery. A new exhibit was being unveiled that night, and Hermione had had her tickets burning a hole in her purse for months. Not to mention that she had managed to secure a babysitter to look after her daughter April. 

Hermione sat at the table, sipping on a cup of jasmine tea and flipped through the local paper. She waited for the sound of her daughter’s feet as she ran down the hallway in search of breakfast. She didn’t have to wait long before her daughter’s dark curly head appeared in a mad streak. Hermione smiled happily as her daughter pulled herself onto a chair and slammed her favourite stuffed animal down onto the table.

“Mama, I'm hungry,” April mumbled as she rubbed the sleep out of her hazel eyes.

“Here you go, baby,” Hermione replied as she got up from the table and set about making April some cereal.

“Fank ‘oo,” April said as she began spooning cheerios into her mouth.

“What do you want to do today?” Hermione asked as she moved around the table and began braiding April’s hair to keep the wild curls she had inherited from her mother out of her daughter’s eyes. 

“Swings,” April said, turning her head to look at her mother, causing the braid to twist slightly. 

“Hmm, I think that could be possible- but only if you eat all your breakfast,” Hermione replied as she bent down to press a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head.

The sight of her daughter’s beaming smile never ceased to fill her heart with joy, and that her decision to keep April a secret had been the right thing to do. Hermione left her daughter alone for a few minutes, intending on getting dressed for the day when the intercom to her flat buzzed loudly. Thinking nothing of it, having expected Erin to arrive any moment. Hermione opted not to check who wanted into the building and simply pressed the button that unlocked the main door. Then opened her front door so Erin could come in without having to use her key.

When she didn’t hear the usual sound of Erin humming as she made her way upstairs, Hermione hovered by the door. It was possible that whoever rang was simply visiting one of her neighbours instead. What she hadn’t expected was to recognise a familiar dark head of hair approaching. 

“April, why don’t you go play with Henry in your room?” Hermione suggested in a loud whisper before stepping out into the hallway, pulling her front door behind her until it was almost closed.

The moment their eyes met under the bright lights of the hallway, Hermione felt her knees grow weak, and she was grateful that she had a tight grip on the door handle. Gone were the long black robes fastened by a row of tiny buttons that Hermione was familiar with. In their place was a crisp white button-down shirt underneath a smart black suit jacket tucked into simple black slacks. His long hair was tied into a simple ponytail showing off the sharpness of his cheekbones.

“You found me,” Hermione whispered, not fully trusting her voice as she continued to drink in the sight of him.

“I did. It’s safe to come home,” Severus replied, who looked like he wanted nothing more than to embrace her but wasn’t sure if the act would be welcomed.

“I’m already home, Severus,” Hermione replied. “I’ve missed you.”

“The Ministry declared you legally dead...one of the missing,” Severus said with a nervous twitch of his hand. 

“Okay,” Hermione said simply when she spotted the blonde head of her child’s babysitter. “Listen, I umm, I have some errands to run. Why don’t I meet you back here in an hour, and we’ll talk?”

“An hour. I will not wait, Hermione,” Severus said, turning on his heel and heading back down the stairs he had already come. 

“Who was that?” Erin asked with her usually bright countenance.

“April’s father,” Hermione said as they headed inside.

“Wow! Does...does he know...about April?” 

Hermione shook her head. “No. It wasn’t safe to. If he’d known, it could have changed everything. It was safer to lose him than to lose our daughter,” Hermione explained, mopping up a puddle of spilt milk leftover from April’s breakfast.

“Are you going to tell him?” Erin asked as she hung her jacket up on the coat rack. 

Hermione sighed, wondering the same. If she told him, would he be mad? Would he walk away? She wouldn’t blame him if he did. Hermione had effectively done that to him, and still, he came to find her all these years later. Then there was April to consider. How would she react to suddenly having a father in her life? April was young enough that the introduction of Severus into their lives wouldn’t cause many issues, but at the same time, she loved her life, just the two of them. 

“I don’t know. He wants me to go back. My life is here now. April’s in school, I have a job, friends. I have a life I never thought I could have. Leaving was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I don’t regret it. Severus will just have to accept that,” Hermione replied just as April appeared sucking on her thumb still in her pyjamas. 

~*~

Hermione had had a plan that morning; to go to the market, read the latest book for her book club and attend the exhibit unveiling at the art gallery. Now, all she could think about was Severus. About how he was here in Ireland. How had he found out where she lived? Hermione had no idea how she was going to raise the topic of their daughter. Even through the many letters they had exchanged initially, not once had she mentioned her pregnancy. She knew that Severus would believe April to be another man’s child, but in reality, he was the only man she’d ever slept with. There had been offers from men visiting the library and the painfully dull blind dates her friends had set upon her. But none compared to him. 

Hermione welcomed the distraction of the market, picking up a bunch of new season daffodils to brighten up her home. She was just approaching the vegetable stall when she spotted Severus heading towards her. He hadn’t noticed her yet, and so Hermione took a detour to her favourite bakery and picked up a couple slices of Porter Cake and two cups of tea. 

“Hello,” Hermione said, approaching him from the right with a slight blush appearing on her cheeks as he turned to look at her with a hint of surprise in his eyes. 

“We weren’t due to meet for another…” Severus said, checking the Muggle watch on his wrist, “...fifteen minutes.”

“I know. I’m free now if you’d like to talk? There’s a park about five minutes away that I visit often. It’s a lot quieter than the market,” Hermione asked, offering him one of the cups in her hand.

Hermione smiled when Severus took the cup with a slight nod of the head, stepping backwards so she could lead the way.

“So, how have you been?” Hermione asked after a few moments of awkward silence, “I still get the Daily Prophet, but you weren’t mentioned at all. I feared that maybe you were...but my mum always said no news is good news, so I always hoped you were safe.”

“I was in St. Mungo’s for a long time. Towards the end, the Dark Lord became dangerously unstable, and he no longer trusted me. I was attacked by Nagini. I no longer teach,” Severus explained, seeming to enjoy her company despite their long separation.

“If I’d known, I would have come back,” Hermione said, stopping in shock to look at him.

Hermione inspected every inch of him with her eyes to make sure that he had truly recovered and hadn’t discharged himself against his Healer’s wishes. 

“If I’d asked you to come, you would have?” Severus clarified with a pointed stare, knowing that despite her words, she wouldn’t have returned. Not even if he’d been on his death bed.

“Yes, I would have come,” Hermione replied, surprising herself more than anything with her admission.

“Severus...there...there’s something you should know...about why I left. It wasn’t out of fear for myself. It was out of fear for you. You were already stuck between a rock and a hard place, and as much as I wanted to tell you then, I knew that I couldn’t. Not you, not Harry, not anyone. In all honesty, I didn’t know if I would ever see you again. Yet here you are now, and I know that I can’t keep this secret any longer,” Hermione said earnestly, sitting herself down on the first bench she could find. They were here to talk, not feed the ducks or walk a family pet.

“I...We...we have a daughter. Her name is April. I was afraid that if someone found that out, they might use her to get to you. I couldn’t put either of you in that position. She’s two now and the light of my life. Please don’t be angry with me. I know I should have told you. I just...I let fear get the best of me for the first time in my life. Can you forgive me?” Hermione asked, taking his hands with her own.

“I know,” Severus replied, revealing his own secret. “From the moment you left, I had someone keeping watch. Through them, I was able to watch our child grow beneath your heart. To see you become a mother- was the only thing that kept me sane during my rehabilitation. So, I think it is I that should be asking for forgiveness. You acted in a way any mother would, and for that, I thank you. Thank you for protecting her, Hermione,” Severus said, pulling one of his hands free from her light grip so he could cup the back of her head before reaching down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. 

Hermione had thought she had remembered what his kisses tasted like, but she had been wrong. His lips were soft and firm, and he tasted of fresh lemons, cardamon and of the tea he had been drinking. The heady mixture made her head swim. If they weren’t currently sat in a public park, she knew he would have pulled her onto his lap by now. 

What Hermione was unprepared for was just how quickly Severus was pulling away from her, a look of anger and shame on his face. Confusion flashed across her features as Hermione tried to figure out just what had happened to make him recoil. She was a little rusty but, she didn’t think she was that bad. She’d showered, spritzed some of her favourite perfume before leaving the house, and her clothes had been freshly laundered. That was when she realised he’d caught a glimpse of the rings adorning her left hand. Before she even had the chance to explain, he was stalking away from her.

“Oh, no! Sev...wait...I can...SEVERUS!” Hermione called in response. She knew he could hear her but was instead choosing to ignore her. 

Hermione watched the figure of him until he was completely out of her sight. On realising she didn’t have time to run after him, Hermione wandered back to her flat, intent on finding him tomorrow. Right now, she had to get ready for the gallery exhibition, and if she was late, Cristina would never forgive her. Her friend had been planning this for months, and Hermione had promised she’d go. She’d never been one for fancy clothes, but the simple black dress she had chosen was perfect. Erin was looking after April giving her the chance to go out and enjoy herself. However, the look of horror on Severus’ face wouldn’t leave her mind. If he’d just given her a chance to explain, he would have understood.

~*~

The gallery looked incredible. Cristina had done a marvellous job, and Hermione was already on her second glass of champagne. The art wasn’t quite her style, but she had to give the artist credit. The turn out would boost the gallery’s funding to no end. Hermione was currently trying to figure out how the artist had managed to get one of their pieces to balance the way it had when she felt someone stand next to her.

“So, what do you think?” A masculine voice asked in an amused tone. 

“It’s quaint,” Hermione replied, surprised to be looking up into the smooth aristocratic face of Draco Malfoy.

“Do you have any idea how many hours went into this one piece, Granger? Of course, you wouldn’t. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were supposed to be dead. Does Potty know you’re here?” He asked, bristling at her comment, obviously offended that anyone would consider his artistic abilities to be quaint. 

“I think you did an amazing job, Malfoy. All I said was that it’s quaint. I’m not a big fan of modern art. I prefer the classics. As for Harry, no, he doesn’t. Congratulations on the exhibition,” Hermione replied, giving him a gentle smile before walking away.

She wandered the halls until she came to her favourite section: The portrait gallery. The clicking of her heels echoed all around her, giving her the all too familiar feeling that she was somewhere she shouldn’t be. Hermione sat herself down on one of the velvet benches and kicked off her shoes. 

“I thought that was you.”

Hermione jumped at having been discovered and was about to rebuke whoever it was by pointing out that they too were technically trespassing but found the words died in her throat.

“I’m not one for large gatherings. I prefer my own company,” Hermione replied secretively, pleased that he sat down next to her.

“I apologise for this afternoon. I had no idea you were married. If I had, I would not have imposed myself on you. I would like to see my daughter and be a father to her. However, whatever relationship we once had. What feelings we once had, end now.”

Hermione couldn’t help the laugh that left her lips. His confused look only seemed to make the matter worse until she was clutching her stomach and wiping tears from her eyes. 

“Oh, Severus. I’m not married. I live in Ireland. I have to appear married rather than an unwed single mother whose child would be judged based on her birth. You ran away before I had the chance to explain. However, if you no longer want me then, I will accept your wishes,” Hermione said once she was able to get her laughter under control. 

“Where did you get your rings?” Severus asked, turning to face her.

“They were my mother’s. I wanted something to remember her by. Anyway, shouldn’t you be supporting Draco’s exhibition?” Hermione replied in desperate need of a change in conversation. 

“I came to support Lucius. As for my thoughts on Draco’s sculptures. Well, a herd of hippogriffs rampaging through the halls would undoubtedly increase their appeal,” Severus said with a rich chuckle, linking their fingers together. 

“Twenty points from Slytherin for sheer lack of imagination,” Hermione said in a perfect imitation of him.

“Hermione? Are you in here?” 

Hermione groaned at the interruption. “I have to go be supportive now,” Hermione said, pressing a kiss to his cheek before walking towards the shadow looming in the doorway.

~*~

Three months later…

After everything they had been through throughout the years, Hermione still had to pinch herself. Never in a million years did she think that she would be lying in bed next to the man she loved. The man who was now her husband. The man who had given her a daughter who was currently using her father as a makeshift pillow. Hermione knew that if it had been anyone else’s child, Severus would have flung them from the bed as quickly as possible. But with April, he tolerated her inability to respect boundaries. He had even forgone sleep for a week when she’d come down with chickenpox, intent on healing her himself. It had been refreshing to be able to sit and watch him brew. It was an act Hermione hadn’t realised she’d missed. 

Rolling over, Hermione wrapped herself around her child’s small body seeking out Severus’ warmth for herself. She relaxed when his fingers buried themselves into her hair and began massaging her scalp. Happiness and marriage had always seemed like an annoying social construct, an expectation of society. It was something Hermione hadn’t cared for until him. Hermione loved him with every fibre of her being, and she couldn’t wait to be able to share her life with him without the fear of death looming over them. They could live and love, and it was perfect. For some, secrets destroy lives, but for them, it gave them the world.

  
  



End file.
